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Rain Partier

There's never been a bad issue of Criminal yet--but there have been a few more or less forgettable singles. #4 isn't one of those, it's a great issue that moves the plot along nicely, informs us about a few of the players who've been in the background, and throws Tracy Lawless out of the proverbial frying pan and into the fire--and then out of the fire and into, well, a bigger fire. The art looks fantastic, and the coloring is top notch.

One of the best things about books like Criminal (or Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep) is the back-matter. It's definitely what keeps me from switching to trades for books that really deliver some incidentally interesting articles instead of reprinting earlier covers or wasting the page like a lot of the transcriptions Marvel has become fond of inserting in their rears (at least that is my recommendation for them).

This week's Criminal back-matter recommended Mr Majestyk, a 1975 film written by the crime fic master, Elmore Leonard. I remember staying up late as a kid after seeing the title in the TV guide--hoping that perhaps they had just misspelled "Mr. Mxyzptlk, of course. Instead, Vietnam vet turned watermelon-farmer Charles Bronson takes matters into his own hands after being jailed on a bogus assault charge and tries to trade a mobster back to the cops so he can just get back in time to harvest his goddamn melons. It's a cool movie, you should check it out. The mid-'70s always looks good on film.

Rain Partier

There's never been a bad issue of Criminal yet--but there have been a few more or less forgettable singles. #4 isn't one of those, it's a great issue that moves the plot along nicely, informs us about a few of the players who've been in the background, and throws Tracy Lawless out of the proverbial frying pan and into the fire--and then out of the fire and into, well, a bigger fire. The art looks fantastic, and the coloring is top notch.

One of the best things about books like Criminal (or Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep) is the back-matter. It's definitely what keeps me from switching to trades for books that really deliver some incidentally interesting articles instead of reprinting earlier covers or wasting the page like a lot of the transcriptions Marvel has become fond of inserting in their rears (at least that is my recommendation for them).

This week's Criminal back-matter recommended Mr Majestyk, a 1975 film written by the crime fic master, Elmore Leonard. I remember staying up late as a kid after seeing the title in the TV guide--hoping that perhaps they had just misspelled "Mr. Mxyzptlk, of course. Instead, Vietnam vet turned watermelon-farmer Charles Bronson takes matters into his own hands after being jailed on a bogus assault charge and tries to trade a mobster back to the cops so he can just get back in time to harvest his goddamn melons. It's a cool movie, you should check it out. The mid-'70s always looks good on film.

Rain Partier

After last issue's twist everyone saw coming (he was luring him with candy bars in issue #1 after all), we finally get to meet a few more kids like Gus and also learn a bit of Jeppard's back-story. Turns out he was a brawlin' washed-up hockey player who lost his demure little wifey to The Plague. And somehow, his whole scheme to catch Gus and transport him miles and miles to the militia camp where he's now prisoner was about getting his wife's skeleton back. Honestly though, it's pretty impossible for me to feel sorry for a guy who traded a perfectly good deer-child just to get back a bag of bones.

I've noticed a lot of mustaches in Lemire's incidental characters--like the hockey ref and the angry fan both do. The cover is striking, it took me a second to realize the antlers on Jeppard are twin rifles. Another thing that I found confusing was Jeppard's shirt-huffing scene. The interior art is more diverse in terms of the various scenes and color palettes used, which is one of my few criticisms of a couple of early issues--they could be a bit drab by comparison.

I just got my BOC last week, so this was like getting a double dose of Sweet Tooth for me, and I'll look forward to reading the next issue when it comes out too. Cheers to Vertigo for putting books like Sweet Tooth out there while the folks at DC proper plague readers with books like Magog or The Great Ten inexplicably that no one asked for.

Rain Partier

After last issue's twist everyone saw coming (he was luring him with candy bars in issue #1 after all), we finally get to meet a few more kids like Gus and also learn a bit of Jeppard's back-story. Turns out he was a brawlin' washed-up hockey player who lost his demure little wifey to The Plague. And somehow, his whole scheme to catch Gus and transport him miles and miles to the militia camp where he's now prisoner was about getting his wife's skeleton back. Honestly though, it's pretty impossible for me to feel sorry for a guy who traded a perfectly good deer-child just to get back a bag of bones.

I've noticed a lot of mustaches in Lemire's incidental characters--like the hockey ref and the angry fan both do. The cover is striking, it took me a second to realize the antlers on Jeppard are twin rifles. Another thing that I found confusing was Jeppard's shirt-huffing scene. The interior art is more diverse in terms of the various scenes and color palettes used, which is one of my few criticisms of a couple of early issues--they could be a bit drab by comparison.

I just got my BOC last week, so this was like getting a double dose of Sweet Tooth for me, and I'll look forward to reading the next issue when it comes out too. Cheers to Vertigo for putting books like Sweet Tooth out there while the folks at DC proper plague readers with books like Magog or The Great Ten inexplicably that no one asked for.

Rain Partier

Every so often I fish a few of Marvel's cosmic line out of the cheap bin and give 'em a read. A couple weeks back I bought a few, some War of Kings issues including the ones with the fight between Darkhawk and the other raptors. And although I didn't think I could add them to my monthly pull-list, I did enjoy them enough to buy the latest Nova book this week. The appearance of The Sphinx clinched it, I remember him from the old days.

This is some old school corn here, too--with lines like "ARRGGH! He tears away my stone!" or well, basically any line in this issue really. The conceit of the story is a blast from the past as well, with two cosmic characters (who are actually the same person) each choosing their own baffling line-ups from all of time and space to battle each other to settle something-or-other or get the other's marbles--I don't know. Black Bolt gets killed by The Basilisk?! I call bullshit on that. I also call bs on Man-Wolf's gold-colored sash or band on his torso which constantly switches from side to side. Details, people, details! That sash is all over the place.

All in all this seemed like a very random story, from the odd mix of adversaries and bizarre milieus they battle in--and a really odd way to kill of Black Bolt, even temporarily--but it's all set-up to put Old Sphinx in possession of two Ka stones at once so that he has the unlimited power to something-something-rewrite-something.

I read Nova as a kid, and this is so retro it should be printed on newsprint. And if it were still a quarter or so, I'd probably read this book monthly just for the fun of it. But once again Marvel's cosmic line proves to be an enjoyable, but not compelling, read.

Rain Partier

Every so often I fish a few of Marvel's cosmic line out of the cheap bin and give 'em a read. A couple weeks back I bought a few, some War of Kings issues including the ones with the fight between Darkhawk and the other raptors. And although I didn't think I could add them to my monthly pull-list, I did enjoy them enough to buy the latest Nova book this week. The appearance of The Sphinx clinched it, I remember him from the old days.

This is some old school corn here, too--with lines like "ARRGGH! He tears away my stone!" or well, basically any line in this issue really. The conceit of the story is a blast from the past as well, with two cosmic characters (who are actually the same person) each choosing their own baffling line-ups from all of time and space to battle each other to settle something-or-other or get the other's marbles--I don't know. Black Bolt gets killed by The Basilisk?! I call bullshit on that. I also call bs on Man-Wolf's gold-colored sash or band on his torso which constantly switches from side to side. Details, people, details! That sash is all over the place.

All in all this seemed like a very random story, from the odd mix of adversaries and bizarre milieus they battle in--and a really odd way to kill of Black Bolt, even temporarily--but it's all set-up to put Old Sphinx in possession of two Ka stones at once so that he has the unlimited power to something-something-rewrite-something.

I read Nova as a kid, and this is so retro it should be printed on newsprint. And if it were still a quarter or so, I'd probably read this book monthly just for the fun of it. But once again Marvel's cosmic line proves to be an enjoyable, but not compelling, read.

cheese

Perhaps this would be a good time to remind reviewers that in order to move up the list, the review must be 208 words or more. And that only reviews of current books count toward moving up the review list.

cheese

Perhaps this would be a good time to remind reviewers that in order to move up the list, the review must be 208 words or more. And that only reviews of current books count toward moving up the review list.

Full list of rules on page 1.

Last edited by Old Man on Thu Feb 04, 2010 10:20 am, edited 1 time in total.

Outhouse Editor

One, please for the love of god; get D’Armata off this fucking book. He makes Larroca’s art look like shit. Newuniversal was gorgeous, this book not so much. Dammit bad colorists suck. Why couldn’t DC take this guy with Finch, aren’t they a package deal?

Second, how the hell do this storyline and the events in Siege make sense? The problem with a shared universe is the details. If you are going to reflect storylines, editors better be sure shit fits. After this issue, why would Maria defend him still? Also, if Osborne is taking down Asgard outside of this bunker, then why the hell isn’t there pandemonium in the streets?

On to the rest, cause this is a decent book. First of all, concluded next issue? Awesome! Fraction not writing sprawlingly long decompressed stories is a great idea.

Normally, I’m not a fan of the talking head touchy feely Doc Sampson sitting a superhero on the couch stuff, but when it ends with a giant Iron Dinosaur wanting to eat Tony Stark... all is good.

Then there is the little shard revelation of Maria and Pepper. Redeem Tony my ass. He’s still a dick and that’s the way I like him. Get him to drinking again and we will have something to talk about.

One, please for the love of god; get D’Armata off this fucking book. He makes Larroca’s art look like shit. Newuniversal was gorgeous, this book not so much. Dammit bad colorists suck. Why couldn’t DC take this guy with Finch, aren’t they a package deal?

Second, how the hell do this storyline and the events in Siege make sense? The problem with a shared universe is the details. If you are going to reflect storylines, editors better be sure shit fits. After this issue, why would Maria defend him still? Also, if Osborne is taking down Asgard outside of this bunker, then why the hell isn’t there pandemonium in the streets?

On to the rest, cause this is a decent book. First of all, concluded next issue? Awesome! Fraction not writing sprawlingly long decompressed stories is a great idea.

Normally, I’m not a fan of the talking head touchy feely Doc Sampson sitting a superhero on the couch stuff, but when it ends with a giant Iron Dinosaur wanting to eat Tony Stark... all is good.

Then there is the little shard revelation of Maria and Pepper. Redeem Tony my ass. He’s still a dick and that’s the way I like him. Get him to drinking again and we will have something to talk about.

******

by ****** » Thu Feb 04, 2010 10:47 am

thefourthman wrote:Second, how the hell do this storyline and the events in Siege make sense?

Like I said in my Siege review, anymore you pretty much just have to pick your continuity and ignore everything else or every comic Marvel is publishing is a total mess. In some books Cap's running around in costume, in other books he isn't. Fuck everybody else, Bru's Cap is the only Cap that matters. Same with Iron Man, everybody but Fraction can go eat a dick.

Bendis might have his fantasy land continuity with people going all explody, but for me it doesn't effect any of the other books.

******

thefourthman wrote:Second, how the hell do this storyline and the events in Siege make sense?

Like I said in my Siege review, anymore you pretty much just have to pick your continuity and ignore everything else or every comic Marvel is publishing is a total mess. In some books Cap's running around in costume, in other books he isn't. Fuck everybody else, Bru's Cap is the only Cap that matters. Same with Iron Man, everybody but Fraction can go eat a dick.

Bendis might have his fantasy land continuity with people going all explody, but for me it doesn't effect any of the other books.

Outhouse Editor

amlah6 wrote:Like I said in my Siege review, anymore you pretty much just have to pick your continuity and ignore everything else or every comic Marvel is publishing is a total mess. In some books Cap's running around in costume, in other books he isn't. Fuck everybody else, Bru's Cap is the only Cap that matters. Same with Iron Man, everybody but Fraction can go eat a dick.

Bendis might have his fantasy land continuity with people going all explody, but for me it doesn't effect any of the other books.

But that's the problem, either is continuity or there isn't. I think that is what impressed me about Siege #2 the most was that text thing in the back made it apparent why Bendis worked on Secret Warriors with Hickman... he had to line things up properly. Why spend that time doing that there and ignore other books? Maybe SW needs the boost cause it is new, but it seems weird to basically say fuck you to Bru and Fraction and ignore what they are doing. It's weird and odd. I don't like it.

Outhouse Editor

amlah6 wrote:Like I said in my Siege review, anymore you pretty much just have to pick your continuity and ignore everything else or every comic Marvel is publishing is a total mess. In some books Cap's running around in costume, in other books he isn't. Fuck everybody else, Bru's Cap is the only Cap that matters. Same with Iron Man, everybody but Fraction can go eat a dick.

Bendis might have his fantasy land continuity with people going all explody, but for me it doesn't effect any of the other books.

But that's the problem, either is continuity or there isn't. I think that is what impressed me about Siege #2 the most was that text thing in the back made it apparent why Bendis worked on Secret Warriors with Hickman... he had to line things up properly. Why spend that time doing that there and ignore other books? Maybe SW needs the boost cause it is new, but it seems weird to basically say fuck you to Bru and Fraction and ignore what they are doing. It's weird and odd. I don't like it.

Either play the continuity game or don't.

******

by ****** » Thu Feb 04, 2010 11:11 am

thefourthman wrote:But that's the problem, either is continuity or there isn't.

Outhouse Editor

amlah6 wrote:For you maybe. I'm just going to pick and chose as I please.

I'm not saying that either solution is correct, all I am saying is that if you are gonna have these big company wide crossovers that are gonna be reflected in the books in some simulation of real time, you should make sure that the facts match up. I am cool with things appearing slightly different to different viewers, but I'm not even sure that Iron Man is happening in OK, and that's just fucking stupid. I blame Waid, he's the fucker that wrote Marvels and retconned all that shit to work together in the first place.

Outhouse Editor

amlah6 wrote:For you maybe. I'm just going to pick and chose as I please.

I'm not saying that either solution is correct, all I am saying is that if you are gonna have these big company wide crossovers that are gonna be reflected in the books in some simulation of real time, you should make sure that the facts match up. I am cool with things appearing slightly different to different viewers, but I'm not even sure that Iron Man is happening in OK, and that's just fucking stupid. I blame Waid, he's the fucker that wrote Marvels and retconned all that shit to work together in the first place.

******

by ****** » Thu Feb 04, 2010 11:26 am

thefourthman wrote:I'm not saying that either solution is correct, all I am saying is that if you are gonna have these big company wide crossovers that are gonna be reflected in the books in some simulation of real time, you should make sure that the facts match up. I am cool with things appearing slightly different to different viewers, but I'm not even sure that Iron Man is happening in OK, and that's just fucking stupid. I blame Waid, he's the fucker that wrote Marvels and retconned all that shit to work together in the first place.

Nerd fail.

Kurt Busiek wrote Marvels.

******

thefourthman wrote:I'm not saying that either solution is correct, all I am saying is that if you are gonna have these big company wide crossovers that are gonna be reflected in the books in some simulation of real time, you should make sure that the facts match up. I am cool with things appearing slightly different to different viewers, but I'm not even sure that Iron Man is happening in OK, and that's just fucking stupid. I blame Waid, he's the fucker that wrote Marvels and retconned all that shit to work together in the first place.

WTF is this rank?

amlah6 wrote:Like I said in my Siege review, anymore you pretty much just have to pick your continuity and ignore everything else or every comic Marvel is publishing is a total mess. In some books Cap's running around in costume, in other books he isn't. Fuck everybody else, Bru's Cap is the only Cap that matters. Same with Iron Man, everybody but Fraction can go eat a dick.

Bendis might have his fantasy land continuity with people going all explody, but for me it doesn't effect any of the other books.

Siege #1 had Tony recuperating in bed, so it seems reasonable to think that IIM is taking place before Siege #1 in this arc.

Continuity generally isn't too hard to put together, although sometimes you have to wait a month or two to completely nail it down. JSA All-Stars is a good example of that. Damage is currently alive in that book, but dead in Blackest Night. I imagine we'll have to wait until the end of BN to determine if JSA A-S is taking place before BN, or if Damage comes back to life by the end of BN.

The only really major continuity goof I recall from recent memory was Bendis' mixup near the beginning of his Mighty Avengers run.

WTF is this rank?

amlah6 wrote:Like I said in my Siege review, anymore you pretty much just have to pick your continuity and ignore everything else or every comic Marvel is publishing is a total mess. In some books Cap's running around in costume, in other books he isn't. Fuck everybody else, Bru's Cap is the only Cap that matters. Same with Iron Man, everybody but Fraction can go eat a dick.

Bendis might have his fantasy land continuity with people going all explody, but for me it doesn't effect any of the other books.

Siege #1 had Tony recuperating in bed, so it seems reasonable to think that IIM is taking place before Siege #1 in this arc.

Continuity generally isn't too hard to put together, although sometimes you have to wait a month or two to completely nail it down. JSA All-Stars is a good example of that. Damage is currently alive in that book, but dead in Blackest Night. I imagine we'll have to wait until the end of BN to determine if JSA A-S is taking place before BN, or if Damage comes back to life by the end of BN.

The only really major continuity goof I recall from recent memory was Bendis' mixup near the beginning of his Mighty Avengers run.